Another Chance
by Sozara
Summary: "Then he walked back across the green, to where Will Solace was waiting." - Blood of Olympus. And what happened next? Will Nico and Will get together? Will they get another chance to be with each other? It's summer and warm, and there are strawberry adventures involved.


This starts off right where it ends in Blood of Olympus, Nico trailing back to Will waiting by the Apollo cabin.

This isn't one of my best pieces - I don't have the time and effort right now to make it perfect(and it might also be more of my writing style than Riordans, sorry about that). But I wrote it and I thought it was cute so I figured I would share it in case anyone else might think the same. Please comment if you like it! And I'm very open to constructive criticism. I don't have a beta, so there's sure to be a couple of errors here and there ;)

All the characters belong to Riordan etc. etc.

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Then he walked back across the green, to where Will Solace was waiting.

"What was that all about?" Will asked and Nico shrugged. "Just clearing the air." When Nico didn't say anything else, Will playfully buffed his shoulder against Nico's.

"You got three days recovery to do. Now go!" he said and together they walked to the infirmary, Will chatting animatedly about a new herb they'd used during the week, and occasionally glancing at Nico like _he_ was that wonderful herb. When they got to the infirmary Will led him to a folding bed and pointed sternly at it. "Lie down" he ordered.

"But I'm not-" Nico protested but Will cut him off, pushing him down onto the bed.

"No, no protests. Lie down, I will be right back." Then Will turned around and disappeared around a swinging set of doors. Nico looked around. He was in a room with five other people, most of them were sleeping, one snoring so loudly he was sure even the water nymphs could hear him. One girl was sitting up in her bed and when she caught him looking she smiled at him. Nico frowned. Why weren't she running out screaming? Why had Will even put him here, together with other people? He was Death for Hades sake. But the girl just turned back to the book in her lap and then Will came back, the doors swinging around him and almost hitting him in the back when he let them go. Nico chuckled.

"Drink this" Will said and held out a drinking cup. Nico eyed it suspiciously.

"It's ambrosia, stupid" he said and sat down on the bed beside Nico's legs. Nico accepted the cup and gingerly took a sip. It tasted so wonderful that when he opened his mouth he let out a big sigh. "Thanks man" Nico said earnestly and Will nodded, his eyes locked on Nicos.

"Anytime" he said with a big smile. "Anytime." Then he stood up and told Nico he was heading to check on other patients. He left Nico with a big, goofy smile on his lips, and a warm buzzing spreading through his stomach.

Two weeks later most of the kids in the infirmary had been healed, and Will had more free time. Nico had been out long ago, of course, but Will had forced him to stay and help. And Nico didn't mind, the least. He'd even stopped worrying about accidentally bringing someone over the bridge to death or just scaring people. Nico had also grown accustomed to being around Will Solace. Even so much that whenever he was out of the infirmary, helping on the building of the new cabins (they were constantly building new cabins nowadays) or practicing on the lava-wall, Nico longed back to the green walls and the reassuring presence of Will and his blond, bobbing hair. One afternoon Will talked him into going on an adventure - on the camp grounds - which Nico didn't think sounded very exciting. But seeing Will's enthusiasm Nico eventually agreed. So they set set off, Nico not knowing where they were going. Will made them sneak around, hiding behind cabins and bushes whenever they spotted someone. Nico suspected there wasn't any more reason for this than the thrill of the pretended risk of getting caught. When they reached the strawberry fields, Will pulled them down to sit on the bark between two rows. Nico glanced around, expecting them to be hiding from someone, but there wasn't anyone near. He looked back at Will, who had sat down, cross-legged.

"We're here" Will said and Nico raised his eyebrows.

"Here?" he asked, looking around them again. The strawberries grew tall, almost to their heads, and the space between the rows were just big enough for them to sit down.

"The strawberry fields?" Nico asked and Will rolled his eyes, but then he laughed and Nico relaxed.

"I like strawberries, okay?" he said and reached for one from the plant beside him. Nico sat down as Will put it in his mouth, moaning at the taste of it. Nico looked away.

"They are _so_ delicious. Here, have one" Will said, and suddenly he was holding one out in front of Nico's mouth and Nico took it and ate without even thinking. It did taste great.

"So what are we doing here? More than eating strawberries?" Nico asked and picked one for himself. Will shrugged. "Nothing. Just hanging out."

They stayed for a long while, talking about camp, their cabin mates, or lack thereof. After a while, Will started playing with a piece of bark and Nico was trying everything not to stare at him. But the clear blue sky above them didn't offer a very entertaining alternative. Nico sighed and Will turned his head to look at him.

"What is is?" he asked, and suddenly he sounded concerned. Nico frowned but answered the question anyway.

"I-" he said, then realized that maybe he should figure out what to say before he opened his mouth. He shut it again. Will shuffled in front of him and moved closer, folding his legs so that his knees bumped Nicos.

"Is it about the battle?" he asked, and Nico heard death in his voice. 'A new gift' his thoughts mustered/wondered. He knew that Will was thinking about Leo, and everyone who died. Nico quickly shook his head.

"No," he said, blushing and turning his eyes back to the stupid blue, even sky. Nico realized he was playing with his hands in his lap, wringing them together, and he stopped, reaching for a strawberry.

"You know you can talk to me" Will said and Nico nodded smally.

"I know, you tell me that" he mumbled. Wills knees were still nudging Nicos. Nico didn't dare to bring up his eyes from his knees to look at Wills expression. He probably thought Nico was stupid, and crazy. And just dumb. Will drew a deep breath.

"Did I tell you about coming out to my parents?"

Nico could hear the nervousness in his voice, he couldn't help but look up. Will's eyes met his and they were warm and sunshine-y. Will continued without waiting for him to answer.

"I was eleven, it was right before the monsters started smelling me. My parents were in the kitchen, cleaning up after dinner. I said' mom, dad, I'm gay'. And everything just froze. Then they continued the dishes like I'd never said anything. They didn't say anything, or even looked at me." Will paused, and Nico watched his face carefully, not bothering anymore to pretend not to. Will stroke his blonde hair out of his eyes. "After that, they never mentioned it again. They just pretended that the other day had only been a joke. That any day I would bring home a girl and everything would be alright." Will reached for some twigs of strawberry plant and started braiding them while he spoke. When he stopped again he kept his eyes on his work. Nico waited for him to continue but he stayed quiet.

"But you never did?" Nico prompted and Will grinned sadly. "I never did" he agreed. "That was just months before I went to camp half blood. I haven't even seen them since."

"I'm… I'm sorry" Nico said and he realized that he was talking to his knees, and when he looked up he saw that Will was doing the same. Nico laughed. A short, heartfelt laugh that made Will turn his face up. Will laughed with him and gave him a big smile. He pushed his knee closer to Nicos.

"I like you, you know" he said and now he was looking straight at Nico and Nico couldn't look away. His blue eyes captured him, and Nico just sighed.

"I know," he said and he saw that Will was waiting for a respons, for him to say the same thing back, or anything really. Nico took a deep breath, as if the new air could provide him with courage. Nothing came. Will Solace was still smiling gently and Nico felt a tug in his stomach.

"Do you like me too?" Will asked and Nico felt like his insides were doing cartwheels. Hell, he even felt like doing cartwheels himself. Instead he nodded and mumbled a vague "yes I do". Like whispering the words would make them easier to say. Will smiled even broader.

"Awesome" he stated and straightened his back. His eyes shifted away from Nico and Nico followed them, down towards the bay. When he returned his gaze to Nico, Will's eyes were shining with excitement.

"Let's go swimming!" he said and Nico couldn't help but laugh.

"Swimming? Now?" he said dumbly. It was a warm summers day, of course Will wanted them to swim. But Nico didn't do that. No-ine wanted to see him in only his shorts. He would blind the entire beach with his pale skin. Will stood up and extended his hand towards Nico.

"Yes, now" he said, still smiling and Nico automatically accepted his hand and let him drag him to his feet. He didn't have time to protest before Will started running down the fields with Nico behind him, their hands still linked tightly together.

Later that night they were sitting beside each other at the campfire when Annabeth came over towards them.

"Are you two finally together?" Annabeth asked and Nico turned to stare at her. Then se sat down next to Nico who shuffled away from her, closer to Will.

"We. Uh-" he started and turned to Will, who was smiling. Damn it. He was _always_ smiling like that and it made Nico all jelly-O inside. It did not help him to form some kind of answer for Annabeth who was looking funnily at him. Then he noticed that she'd sat down alone.

"Where's Percy?" he asked and Annabeth smiled knowingly and _blinked_ at him before explaining that he was away on some dangerous important quest to New Mexico. Nico didn't really hear much, because the entire side of Wills body was pressed against Nicos, and all he could think of was how warm he was, and how he wanted to get even closer. Annabeth said something more, then she walked away and Nico reached for the marshmallow-bowl on the ground.

"You want some?" he asked and he caught Will off-track.

"I what?" he asked and Nico punched him playfully on the shoulder.

"You want some 'smallows?" he repeated and leaned back into Will's side.

"Nah, I'm good" Will said, then he casually rested his head onto Nicos shoulder and sighed. Nico froze for a second before he tilted his own head to rest against Wills. "Okay" he said, and dropped the bowl to the ground, all thoughts of 'smores banished from his mind. They sat like that for a few heartbeats before Jason stood up beside the fire and called for everyones attention. Nico jerked his head back. "Oh no, sing a long" he whispered and Will chuckled beside him. Then Nico stood up and started for the opening of the amphitheater.

"Hey what are you doing?" Will asked and Nico could feel him following right behind. Nico barely turned back his head as he answered "I don't do sing a longs". He was out of the arena and without the blinding light of the fire, the darkness enveloped them both. Nico turned left and steered towards the forest.

"Wait where are you-" Will asked, then Nico could hear the footsteps behind him stop. He turned around and could barely make out Will's silhouette against the light coming from the amphitheater. "Are you going into the forest?"

Nico couldn't help but snort. "No I'm going to the cabins," he said sarcastically and wished he could see the expression on Wills face.

"But aren't you… scared?" and when Will said that, Nico could hear a slight tremble in his voice.

"My dad is Death. What do I have to be scared of?" Nico said flippantly and turned towards the forest, half of him wanting to just get out of there and the other half not wanting to leave Will. _'Oh sod it'_ he thought and took a step towards Will. "Are you coming or not?" he asked and he knew that he sounded impatient and irritated. Will was quiet and Nico rolled his eyes then turned towards the forest. "Okay, whatever" he sighed and he made it sound like he really meant it.

"What? No I'm coming, I was nodding yes, stupid" Will said and ran up along him. Nico huffed.

"Though I might need you to hold my hand" he said, and Nico knew he was just teasing, but he heard that same alarm in Wills voice, and a part of him didn't care whether he was teasing or not. It was dark all around them and they walked alongside each other, stepping over rocks and roots. Occasionally their hands brushed against each other. They were quiet and Nico listened to the noises of the night - of the wind in the trees, and the sighs of the wood nymphs. Suddenly a branch snapped ahead of them and Nico heard Will cry out before he felt Wills body crashing into his. Nico lost his footing but then Wills arm found their way around his body and kept him upright. When he had regained his balance he glanced down at Will who was still holding his arms tight around Nicos body.

"Relax, it was an animal" Nico said and he wasn't sure he wanted to sound reassuring enough because Wills hands were warm and pressed onto his back. He felt Will take a deep breath.

"You're right. Sorry" he said, then he drew back, but not enough to completely let go of Nico. He left one arm around his waist. "Are we going anywhere in particular?"

Nico laughed. "I have a place in mind" he said gently and pulled out his own arm from between them to put it around Wills shoulders. Neither of them commented on how they were holding each other, and when they finally reached Nico's cave, Will didn't let go of him. They just stood there, side by side, at the entrance of the cave.

"So this is your secret hiding place?" Will asked and leaned his head onto Nicos shoulder.

"It is" Nico said and held him tighter. Will sighed. Then he turned his head toward Nico, a curious expression on his face.

"Is there anything in here? Or is it just… a rock?"

Nico laughed and pulled Will with him forward. "No, there's more" he said as he searched the wall to his right for the switch. When he found it, and the whole cavern filled with light, Will gasped. The light showed a room the size of Nicos cabin but instead of bunkbeds along the walls there were couches and tables and even a football-game-table.

"Sweet" Will whistled and let go of Nico to launch himself onto one of the couches. Nico followed and sat down next to him. "It's pretty nice".

"More than nice" Will said and his eyes were on Nico, and Nico guessed that he didn't mean the room this time. He swallowed and turned down his gaze.

"I um" he said and berated himself for starting to speak before he knew what to say.

"It's okay" Will said and reached for his hand. And Nico felt like he could die right there. But he knew he wouldn't. He even knew the exact date and time for his death, and this was not it. That didn't stop his heart from racing, or his throat to dry up and Nico couldn't think of anything other than Wills hand in his.

"I'm gonna kiss you now" Will warned, "is that okay?" and Nico just stared, and made a slight, slight nod and then Will moved his head closer, one of his hands sneaked up behind his neck and stroked his hair. Then his lips were on Nico and it was the best thing he'd ever felt. It felt like he was inhaling sunshine, in a good way, and that the warmth of it was quickly spreading through his mouth all around his body. Then his lips were gone and Nico smiled at the cold air that replaced them.

"That is okay" he said, and Will chuckled.

"More than okay" Will agreed and moved his mouth towards Nicos again.


End file.
